Why an opener might help Phillies’ Ranger Suarez
By Bryce Turner
The Philadelphia Phillies could try using an opener to get more from Ranger Suárez, following the starter’s slow start to the season.
Ranger Suárez has struggled through five starts for the Philadelphia Phillies this season, with a 4.63 ERA and 1.629 WHIP in 23 1/3 innings.
It’s a small sample size, but the Phillies aren’t in a position to wait and see. A change such as using an “opener,” the relatively new concept of having a reliever pitch the start of a game before the primary pitcher takes the mound, could be beneficial, at least for his next few starts.
Suárez has struggled historically in the first inning and this year is no exception. He’s averaging 21.4 pitches and has allowed nine hits and five runs in the first inning this season, compared to averaging 16.8 pitches, while allowing two hits and no runs, in the second inning.
Most recently, he gave up a single, a walk, and a two-run home run in the first inning of Tuesday’s 6-4 loss to the Texas Rangers. He threw 25 pitches in that frame.
He’s also struggled in the fifth and sixth innings this year, but taking the mound following an opener could help with that. He’d enter the game facing batters further down in the lineup to ease his way in and the second plate appearance for early hitters would be during his first time through the order.
Suárez was impressive as a starter last season, joining the rotation in August and recording a 1.51 ERA in 12 starts, including a complete-game shutout in his penultimate outing. But that came after starting the year as a reliever.
He did not surrender an earned run through his first 21 innings and pitched more than an inning in 12 of his first 18 games, including three games where he pitched three innings.
Ranger Suárez has proven that he’s capable of starting games, but having him pitch five or six innings out of the bullpen would help give him a different feel.
Suárez had some experience in a similar role during that opening stretch of last season, where he entered games for bulk relief after shorter starts by Spencer Howard.
He replaced Howard between the third and fifth inning in three games, where he pitched a combined eight shutout innings, giving up one hit and no walks while striking out seven. He also picked up the win in a game against the Washington Nationals.
If the Phillies were to use an opener for Suárez, a good option would be closer Corey Knebel. While that would be the ultimate reversal of roles, he does have recent experience starting games.
Knebel started four games for the Los Angeles Dodgers last season, giving up a combined one run and six hits in 5 2/3 innings. Three of the starts came in bullpen games, but the other came as an opener for primary pitcher David Price.
Another option would be Bailey Falter, though he’s currently with Triple-A Lehigh Valley. He gave up three runs in two innings while starting the Phillies’ season finale last year, but has looked really good in the minors.
Falter had a 1.76 ERA with Lehigh Valley last year, where he started six of his eight games. He has one start with the IronPigs this season, where he recorded five strikeouts in 2 1/3 perfect innings against the New York Yankees’ Triple-A affiliate.
While there’s no doubt that Suárez should continue to start games as the season rolls on, using an opener could be beneficial to help him correct his early struggles.
In this scenario, the Phillies could use Knebel or Falter for the first inning, where Suárez has a 4.50 ERA in 20 games where he pitched that frame. Suárez can then enter the game from the bullpen, which he did successfully in 2021. He owns a 0.45 ERA in the second inning and a 2.95 ERA in the third inning across his career.
With the Phillies off to an 11-14 start to the year and only one starting pitcher owning an ERA better than 3.90 entering the New York Mets series, it’s worth trying something different to get more out of Suárez.
